Nearly 75 per cent of 1.39 crore voters exercised their franchise on Tuesday for the second and the final phase of polling in Chhattisgarh for 72 seats that sealed the fate of 843 candidates, including 75 women.
Chhattisgarh's Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Kujur informed that tentatively 74.65 per cent polling was recorded and the final polling figure could settle around 80 per cent once all voting data would be compiled in a day and two. The 72 seats, which went to polls on Tuesday had seen 71.09 per cent turnout in 2008 Assembly polls.
The polling witnessed sporadic violence in Congress citadel Saja seat in Bemetara district where leader of the Opposition Ravindra Choubey is facing the toughest challenge of his long political career from labhchand Bafna of the BJP. Director General of Police Ramniwas informed that 3-4 people who were reportedly in drunk tried to disrupt voting at a polling booth at village Bhindarwani.
"33-year-old Ashok Sen was killed on the spot while two others injured when a CRPF jawan opened fire to control the situation,'' Ramniwas told The Pioneer. He added that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered to establish the exact sequence of the incident.
Chhattisgarh has total 90 seats and voting for 18 seats was concluded on November 11. Results will be declared on Dec 8 along with four other poll-bound states. In last assembly polls held in 2008, the BJP had won 50 seats while the Congress and the BSP bagged 38 and two seats respectively.
With the curtain finally came down on polling in Chhattisgarh, the BJP which is in power in the mineral-rich State for a decade and the Opposition Congress too made separate claims of making "clean sweep with new records".
Chief Minister Raman Singh led the entire BJP's poll-campaign and touched 89 out of the total 90 seats barring Kharasia where slain Congress State chief Nandkumar Patel's son is in the fray. He said he would form Government for Third successive term with new records.
"Trend suggests the BJP would form Government smashing all previous records, the high voters' turnout mainly by women and youth in both the phases, is a recognition of all good works of my Government, I thank people for extending whole-hearted support to the BJP," the Ayurvedic doctor-turned politician Singh told The Pioneer.
But Singh stated that he was pained by baseless allegations and the kind of language used by Congress leaders during campaigning. Singh had even served notice to actor-turned Congress leader Raj Babbar who described him "a fake doctor" during electioneering.
Raman Singh also said, "The Congress is confused over leadership, since they don't have any hope so the party did not declare its chief ministerial candidate. Congress' whole game is behind the scene."
Congress face of the campaign, Ajit Jogi, claimed that massive turnout in both the phases, has brought an end to a decade-old scam-hit BJP regime."The chapter of the 10-year-old gross misrule and scam-hit BJP regime in Chhattisgarh is all over, we will get formal confirmation on December 8," Ajit Jogi told reporters in Bilaspur district's Marwahi seat where his lone son Amit Jogi is launching his political career.
Congress State chief and Union Minister Charan Das Mahant, said, "The Congress is set to form a new Government, voting trend and inputs coming in from all areas suggest that a decade-old regime which showcased arrogance, cheating and misrule is set to end."